Matrix holding chucking means for die casting machines



Sept. 20, 19.55

E. A. GLYNN 2,718,040

MATRIX HOLDING CHUCKING MEANS FOR DIE CASTING MACHINES Filed July 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l lI/lI/I/IIII/IIIII I/IIIIIII INVENTOR .E'. H Glynn HTTYS Sept. 20, 1955 g. A. GLYNN MATRIX HOLDING CHUCKING MEANS FOR DIE CASTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 2, 1952 INVENTOR E l?- Glynn BY @LAZL ml;

United States Patent Ofifice 2,718,040 Patented Sept. 20, 1955 MATRIX HOLDING CHUCKING MEANS FOR DIE CASTING MACHINES Edwin A. Glynn, Lodi, Calif., assignor to Super Mold Corporation of California, Lodi, Calif a corporation of California Application July 2, 1952, Serial No. 296,910 Claims. CI. 22-58) The present invention relates to the art of die casting tire tread designs on matrix blanks adapted for use in tire building or retreading apparatus.

As to all common subject matter this application is a continuation in part of co-pending application Serial No. 102,261, filed May 27, 1949, now abandoned, which,

in turn, is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 708,111, filed November 6, 1946, and now United States Patent No. 2,478,657, dated August 9, 1949.

One important object of this invention is to provide a die casting machine, as above, with a novel matrix holding chucking means or mount for the matrix blank whereby to positively support the latter in proper and preselected positions in such machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a die casting machine with chucking means, as in the preceding paragraph, arranged for ease of movement of the matrix blank to and from the casting platform; for ready rotation of the matrix blank step by step for sectional casting operations in the machine; and for tilting of the matrix blank upwardly on the side adjacent the casting platform to break such matrix blank away from the metal remaining in the adjacent end of the fluid metal feed conduit.

An additional object of the invention is to provide chucking means, for the purpose described, which is designed for convenience of manual operation.

.A separate object of the invention is to provide a novel adjustable mount for the matrix blank chucking means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a reliable chucking means for supporting a matrix blank in a die casting machine, and one which will be exceedingly eifective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specifications and claims.

In the drawings: t

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, of a die casting machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the chuck assembly as supporting a matrix blank in a die casting machine.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, detached, of the chuck. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation of the mount for the. chuck.

Fig. 5 is a detached view in section of a novel matrix blank supporting roller.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the present invention is em-- bodied. in a die casting machine as shown in the aforesaid copcnding application, Serial No. 708,111, and which machine. comprises a base 1 having an upstanding frame 2 which supports a firebox and melting pot unit 3 fitted atop thereof with a removable cover 4; there being a flue 5 leading from said unit 3.

Forwardly of the cover 4 the firebox and. melting pot unit 3 is fitted on top thereof with a horizontal, forwardly projecting casting platform 6, and an arcuate and segmental back wall 7 upstands from the platform at its inner end; the adjacent working faces of the platform 6 and back wall 7 being at right angles to each other, as shown.

The casting platform 6 and its upstanding back wall 7 are for the purpose of supporting an adjacent portion of an annular matrix blank 8 resting on the platform 6 and clamped between the back wall 7 and a dieblock 9 which matchingly engages the inner face of said matrix blank.

As in the previous application, the melted, fluid die metal is fed through a conduit 10 in the back wall 7, thence through ducts 11 in the matrix blank 8, into a. tire tread design 12 cut in the working face of the die block 9.

The die block 9 is moved to and from positive contact with the matrix blank by means of a shank 13 removably secured to the upper end of a post 14 which depends through the matrix blank 8 to connection with a yoke assembly 15 adapted to be forcefully reciprocated by a fluid pressure actuated power cylinder 16 of double acting type. f

The matrix blank 8 is supported, for step by step position on the casting platform 6 between the back wall 7 and die block 9, by means of the following chuck assembly, and to which this application is specifically directed.

The chuck assembly comprises, ahead of the casting platform 6, an adjustable spider chuck, indicated generally at 17, for the annular matrix blank 8. The chuck 17 is normally disposed with its axis vertical, and includes chuck heads 18 which are carried on screws 19 for simultaneous adjustment inwardly or outwardly--in a radial direction. v

,The chuck heads 18 are each slidable on a pairof transversely spaced guide rods 20, and said rods, to-. gether with the screws 19, radiate from a hollow hub 21 in symmetrical, circumferentially spaced relation.

The screws 19 are simultaneously actuated in one directionfor the other, to run the chuck heads 18 outwardly or inwardly, by means of a gear assembly 22 inthe hollow hub 21. The gear assembly 22 is operated by an upstanding shaft .23 carrying a hand wheel 24 on th e b ottom of the hub 21, and said boss is fixed ona transverse rocker shaft 28. The rocker shaft 28 is mounted, at opposite ends, by means of goosenecks 29 to a cross beam 30 having depending end posts 31 threaded through hand wheels 32.

The depending end posts 31 extend downwardly into tubular legs 33 connected, at the top, by a cross beam' 34, and the hand wheels,32 bearagainst said cross beam from above whereby rotation of such hand wheels ef: fects vertical adjustment of the posts 31 for the purpose of leveling the spider chuck17. 3

The legs 33 are connected, adjacent'the bottom, by

on a pair of transversely spaced, horizontal tracks 37 projecting forwardly from the base 1.

The legs 33, connected together as described, thus provide'an upstanding, horizontally movable frame, indicated generally "at 38, movable in a direction lengthwise of the machine; i. e. in the direction that the back wall 7 faces.

The specific strucaxle 35 having peripherally grooved wheels 36 which run Such movement of the frame 38 is guided by guide rods 39, which extend horizontally from the legs 33 through guide sleeves 40 fixed on the upstanding frame 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. There is, as shown, one of the spools 25 on each of the chuck heads 18 and as these are all alike a description of the specific structure of one will sufiice for all. See Fig. 5.

On each chuck head 18 is an upstanding seat 41 and on this seat is fixed an upstanding pin 42. Mounted for rotation about the pin 42, with suitable anti-friction bearings 43 between the two, is a hub 44 having an upstanding operating handle or knob 45. Fixed on the hub 44 to rotate therewith is the matrix engaging body of the spool 25. The bottom flange 46 of such spool body flares outwardly and downwardly and the main body 47 of the spool flares upwardly and outwardly in the form of an inverted frusto-cone, as shown. This latter structure is of importance because it permits matrix blanks of different sizes, and hence having different thicknesses of the peripheral edges 26, to be used, and to still be held in place on the chuck assembly when the latter is tilted about the axis 28 as will appear.

When the die casting machine is to be used the matrix blank 8 is placed over the chuck assembly with its inner peripheral portion or flange 26 resting on the bottom flanges 46 of the spool bodies 47. The hand wheel 24 is then operated to move the chuck heads 18 outwardly to bring the spools 25 into easy frictional contact with the inner peripheral edge of the matrix blank 8 which action properly centers the blank relative to the central axis of the unit but leaves it free to be rotated by rotation of one of the spools 25 through the instrumentality of the handle or knob 45.

When the matrix blank 8 is thus positioned, the movable frame 38 is shifted in a direction to engage said blank in seated relation on the casting platform 6 and in matching engagement against the back wall 7. Thereafter the die block 9 is brought to position and is power actuated by the cylinder 16 to forcefully clamp said matrix blank 8 between the die block 9 and the back wall 7. Thereupon a segmental, tread design die casting operation is conducted in the manner described in detail in the aforesaid United States Patent No. 2,478,657.

Between each of the segmental, tread design die casting operations, the die block 9 is released from the matrix blank and the latter is tilted upwardly from the casting platform 6 so as to effect a breaking away of any metal adherent between the ducts 11 and the conduit 10. This tilting operation is effected by swinging the chuck assembly 17 about rocker shaft 28 as an axis through the medium of the hand wheel 24 and shaft 23, used as a lever. During this tilting operation the matrix blank 8 is held against displacement longitudinally of its axis by reason of the engagement of the peripheral edge 26 thereof with the outwardly flaring bodies 47 of the spools 25. It will be obvious that because of this latter construction, matrix blanks of different diameters and in which the inner peripheral edges 26 may be of ditferent thicknesses may all be effectually positioned and held in place during the operation of the machine. It is to be noted that since the chuck assembly, its operating gear mechanism, and the shaft and handle of the latter are all above the pivot point 28 this tilting operation may be carried out and still permit the chucking operation being accomplished in any angular position of the mechanism. This is a distinct advantage in connection with the placement and removal of the matrix blank with respect to the chuck.

The step by step turning of the matrix blank 8 may be accomplished either by manually rotating the blank about the spools 25 or by rotation of one of the spools through the medium of the handle knob 45, the frictional engagement between the spools and blanks being such asto permit of these actions.

To retract the matrix blank from the casting platform 6 and back wall 7 it is only necessary that the frame 38 be run outwardly on the tracks 37.

The above described chuck assembly and its mount provides a convenient, practical, and effective mechanism for the support and manipulation of an annular matrix blank 8 in cooperative relation to the die casting apparatus of the machine.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined. by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed. as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A chuck unit for adjustably supporting a tire matrix blank in casting relationship with the melting pot of a die casting machine which includes a platform projecting from the pot to support the peripheral portion of the matrix blank; said chuck unit comprising an upstanding support, a hollow hub, means mounting the hub in connection with the support for rotation of said hub about a vertical axis and independent rotation about a horizontal axis, a plurality of pairs of parallel rods projecting in radiating relation from and rigid with the hub, matrix blank supporting and clamping heads slidable on the rods, axially immovable screws projecting outwardly from the hub between the rods of each pair and threaded through the heads, hand-operated means mounted on the hub for rotating all the screws simultaneously, the hub mounting means being arranged so that when the matrix blank is horizontal it may rest flatly on the platform of the die casting machine, and means mounting the support of said unit for horizontal movement toward and from the casting machine; said means comprising a pair of legs depending from the support and transversely spaced relative to the direction of such horizontal movement, wheels on the legs at their lower end, parallel and horizontal guide rods projecting from the legs adjacent their upper end, and sleeves rigid with the machine receiving said rods in sliding and supporting relation.

2. A chuck unit for adjustably supporting a tire matrix blank in casting relationship with the melting pot of a die casting machine which includes a platform projecting from the pot to support the peripheral portion of the matrix blank; said chuck unit comprising an upstanding support, a hollow hub, means mounting the hub in connection with the support for rotation of said hub about a vertical axis and independent rotation about a horizontal axis, a plurality of pairs of parallel rods projecting in radiating relation from and rigid with the hub, matrix blank-supporting and clamping heads slidable on the rods, axially immovable screws projecting outwardly from the hub between the rods of each pair and threaded through the heads, and hand-operated means mounted on the hub for rotating all the screws simultaneously; the hub mounting means being arranged so that when the matrix is horizontal it may rest flatly on the platform of the die casting machine and comprising a horizontal rock shaft journaled on the support, and a vertical shaft upstanding from the horizontal shaft radially thereof and on which the hub is centrally and turnably mounted.

3. In a tire-matrix engaging chuck unit, a plurality of chuck heads mounted for movement radially of the vertical axis of the chuck, means to so move the chuck heads, a spool turnably mounted on each chuck head and adapted to engage and clampingly support the radially inner edge position of the matrix blank, and a handle knob rigid with and upstanding from each spool axially thereof.

4. A-device, as in claim 3, in which the peripheral edge of each spool is greater in height than said edge portion of the blank, the spool being formed with an outwardly projecting flange at the bottom to extend under and support the matrix blank at said inner edge thereof; the peripheral edge of the spool sloping outwardly from said flange upwardly.

5. A device, as in claim 4, in which the matrix supporting face of the flange has an upward slope from its lower edge to a junction with the lower end of said outwardly sloping edge of the spool.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fulmer et a1 June 30, 1891 Kralund Apr. 8, 1919 Callebert Sept. 19, 1922 Mayer et a1. Feb. 20, 1923 Lace July 3, 1923 Kralund et a1 Dec. 4, 1923 Hogg Mar. 27, 1934 Woock et a1. Jan. 29, 1935 Wikle Jan. 28, 1941 

